Patient securing belts for stretchers



Sept. 7, 1965 H. STOLLENWERK PATIENT SECURING BELTS FOR STRETCHERS FiledDec. 10, 1965 INVENTOR 2 i1 N% H 1 Q UNIN 6m AWN mm NN m m l%% rll|lllllll 1| 1| lml ii. I w m. m Ni 2 M 0% 2 BY 4 ;Q 2

United States Patent 3,204,256 PATIENT SECURING BELTS FOR STRETCHERSHans Stollenwerk, Dellbrucker Hauptstr. 197, Cologne-Dellbruck, GermanyFiled Dec. 10, 1963, Ser. No. 329,479 Claims priority, applicationGermany, Dec. 20, 1962, S 20,105 6 Claims. (Cl. 82)

The present invention relates to a securing belt for the securing ofpatients on a stretcher for transportation in vehicles, in particularaircraft, and also of the type disclosed in the copending application ofHans Stollenwerk, filed July 23, 1963, Serial No. 297,132.

In the known arrangement of securing belts for securing patients on astretcher, it is found that the person strapped on the stretcher hasinsufficient freedom for movement and yet is nevertheless not adequatelysecured against longitudinal displacement. Since the person lying on thestretcher is generally a person who is ill or injured, it is furthermorenecessary that the patient should be secured as gently as possible butnevertheless firmly.

According to the present invention there is provided a securing belt forthe securing of a person on a stretcher for transportation in vehicles,in particular aircraft, the belt including a retaining strap, which isadapted to be engaged transversely about the stretcher, and two shoulderbelts attached to the retaining strap and adapted to be arranged overthe shoulders of a person when positioned on the stretcher, the shoulderbelts having elongated end portions, one of which is longer than theother so that, in use, said longer end portion can intersect the otherend portion over the person positioned on the stretcher, and is adaptedto pass about the underside of the stretcher and have its free enddetachably secured to said end portion.

The shoulder belts disposed about the shoulders secure the patientagainst undesired displacement in the forward direction. The personlying on the stretcher is free from any kind of securing extending inthe transverse direction. The ends of the belts intersecting on theupper side of the said person, retain the person adequately on thestretcher and at the same time allow him the greatest possible degree offreedom of movement. The securing belt has, for the securing of ,thepatient, only a single connecting point disposed expedientlyapproximately at the height of the middle part of the patient. Afterrelease of the connecting point, the other shoulder belt also becomessufficiently free to ensure that there will be no impediment to theraising of the person from the stretcher. At the point of intersectionof the belts, there is no connection and the intersecting belts are ableto adopt varying positions, depending on the size of the person. Thesecuring belt according to the invention permits adaptation of theposition of the individual sides or ends to the height and bulk of theperson to be strapped to the stretcher, so that the formation ofpressure point or the like is avoided. The person lying on the stretcheris retained strapped down in an effective manner and also in such mannerthat he has the maximum freedom for movement.

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how the samemay be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way ofexample, to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of the securing beltconstructed in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a cross-section taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

In the drawing, the securing belt has a retaining strap ice 2 whichextends transversely of a stretcher 1 and to which are connected, inspaced relationship, two shoulder belts 3 and 4 which are intended to belaid over the shoulders of a person disposed on the stretcher. Theshoulder belts may be secured to the retaining strap 2 as by stitchingas at 2 or otherwise attached thereto.

The stretcher 1 includes side rails 1 with the stretcher 1 suitablysecured thereto at its opposite longitudinal edges. The said shoulderbelts have elongated end portions 5 and 6 of difierent length, theelongated end portion 5 extending from the shoulder belt 4 has a greaterlength than the extension 6 and is guided at the foot end of thestretcher below the said foot end and connected on the upper side of thestretcher with the shorter elongated end portion 6.

Each side rail 1 carries at the head and foot end of the stretcherdepending supporting frame feet 10 and 11, respectively, the retainingstrap 2 passing through the head frame feet 10 while the shoulder beltextension 5 passes through the frame feet 11 at the foot end of thestretcher, the frame feet 11 holding the foot end of the extensionportion 5 in a transverse position beneath the stretcher. The terminalends of the strap portions 5 and 6 are detachably connected together inknown manner. The transversely extending retaining strap 2 is guided, atthe height of the shoulders, about the stretcher 1 by the frame feet 10and can be secured by a clamping buckle 8. The retaining strap 2 has aneck web 9 which is padded in a suitable manner. A corresponding paddingis also provided on the shoulder belts 3 and 4. The shoulder belts maybe made of hemp and are preferably provided with a foam-material paddingwhich may be covered with cotton material. The elongated end portions 5and 6 preferably consist of belts made from plastic fibers. The portion5 of the end 5 which is guided around the frame feet 1 may consist of amaterial which resists traction forces and which is flexible andpliable. Suitable for this purpose, for example, is a leather band or amember made from leather or plastic material. Curved portions 3 and 4 ofthe shoulder belts 3 and 4 are stiffened so that the shoulder belts donot collapse and subject the shoulders to unnecessary pressure fromabove when the securing belt is fixed. The securing belt forms one piecetogether with the retaining strap. The shoulder belts 3 and 4 or the endportions 5 and 6 are disposed loosely and displaceably one above theother at the point of intersection.

The securing of the padded neck web 9 to the retaining strap 2 can beeffected by sewing. In all, only two buckles or closure means require tobe operated. In order to release the person lying on the stretcher, itis only necessary to release the rapid closure means 7 and tocorrespondingly loosen the ends which have become free.

While there is herein shown and described the preferred embodiment ofthe invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changesmay be made therein Without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A securing belt for securing a person on a stretcher fortransportation, comprising in combination a stretcher frame, thestretcher frame including head and foot ends, a retaining strapextending transversely around the head end of the stretcher frame anddetachably connected thereto, two shoulder belts attached to theretaining strap adapted to be engaged over the shoulders of a person onthe stretcher, extended ends on the shoulder belts being of unequallengths with the longer end intersecting the shorter end portion over aperson on the stretcher, the longer end passing beneath the stretcher atthe foot end thereof and detachably secured to a free end of the shorterportion above the stretcher by a detachable connection.

2. A securing belt as in claim 1, wherein a padded neck web is carriedby the retaining strap and padded portions are provided on the shoulderbelts for body contact.

3. A securing belt for securing a person on a stretcher fortransportation,- comprising in combination a stretcher frame, thestretcher frame including head and foot ends, a retaining strapextending transversely around the head end of the stretcher frame anddetachably connected thereto, two shoulder belts attached to theretaining strap adapted to be engaged over the shoulders of a person onthe stretcher, extending ends of the shoulder belts being of unequallengths with the longer end intersecting the shorter end over a personon the stretcher with the longer end passing beneath the stretcher atthe foot end thereof and detachably secured to a free end of the shorterportion above the stretcher, the extended ends of the shoulder strapsbeing formed of plastic fibers, and a reinforced covering being providedfor the portion of the longer end of the shoulder strap passing beneaththe stretcher.

4. A securing belt as in claim 1, wherein a padded neck web is carriedby the retaining strap and padded portions are provided on the shoulderbelts for body contact, the extended ends of the shoulder straps beingformed of plastic fiber, and a reinforced covering being provided forthe portion of the longer end of the shoulder strap passing beneath thestretcher.

5. A securing belt as in claim 1, wherein the detachable connectionbetween the ends of the shoulder strap extensions includes a buckle.

6. A securing belt as in claim 1, wherein the portions of the shoulderstraps that engage the shoulders of a person have arcuately stiffenedportions.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,087,984 7/37McAfee et a1. 5-82 3,046,982 7/62 Davis 5-82 X 3,104,401 9/63 Davis 582FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

1. A SECURING BELT FOR SECURING A PERSON ON A STRETCHER FOR TRANSPORTATION, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A STRETCHER FRAME, THE STRETCHER FRAME INCLUDING HEAD AND FOOT ENDS, A RETAINING STRAP EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY AROUND THE HEAD END OF THE STRETCHER FRAME AND DETACHABLY CONNECTED THERETO, TWO SHOULDER BELTS ATTACHED TO THE RETAINING STRAP ADAPTED TO BE ENGAGED OVER THE SHOULDERS OF A PERSON ON THE STRETCHER, EXTENDED ENDS ON THE SHOULDER BELTS BEING OF UNEQUAL LENGTHS WITH THE LONGER END INTERSECTING THE SHORTER END PORTION OVER A PERSON ON THE STRETHCER, THE LONGER END PASSING BENEATH THE STRETCHER AT THE FOOT END THEREOF AND DETACHABLY SECURED TO A FREE END OF THE SHORTER PORTION ABOVE THE STRETCHER BY A DETACHABLE CONNECTION. 